


Only Human

by orphan_account



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fairly light, Inspired by Human by Rag'n'Bone Man, M/M, Maybe a sequel?, Mood Swings, Numb Harry, Trauma, after the Final Battle, if you guys want one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-09-01
Packaged: 2020-10-04 15:41:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20473466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: “Well obviously”, Malfoy drawled, “if everyone could just ask and receive abilities like that, you wouldn’t be special.”Harry’s hands froze. He looked up and saw Malfoy standing there looking rather awkward. Since when did Malfoy think he was special? Certainly not when they were constantly attacking each other for the last 6 years.  He grinned “You think I’m special, do you?”





	Only Human

Harry was wondering the halls of Hogwarts again, only this time it was because he couldn’t bear to be in the Great Hall, watching families reunite or fall apart because of him. So many people had died, he couldn’t even think of Fred right now lest he fall apart right there in the empty hallway. He couldn’t think of Ron and Hermione currently at his side crying whilst the rest of the Weasley’s cried around them. He couldn’t think of the bodies of Remus and Tonks, knowing they had Teddy at home waiting for them. He couldn’t think about Lavender, who they saw getting attacked by Greyback. He couldn’t think of the countless people he didn’t even know who died for him. He couldn’t cry right now, there was still things to be done. Hogwarts was still suffering, there was stone everywhere from where walls and roofs had been destroyed and who knew what, or who the rubble would expose. It needed to be fixed and he needed a distraction. So that’s what he did. He slowly started cleaning a section that was not too heavily damaged, removing the dust and dirt and leaving only the rubble on the ground. He wasn’t sure how he was going to fix the wall, but he was going to give it a damn good try. He first tried reparo, but watched dumbly as nothing happened. Not even a twinge of movement. He wondered what kind of spell would be needed to restore something as intricate as a magic infused wall. Perhaps he needed Hermione, with her endless knowledge of Hogwarts: A History surely, she would know what the castle needed.

“Trying to fix the wall with just the power of your stare Potter?” Harry whipped around to find Malfoy strolling confidently down the hallway, almost as if nothing was wrong, and a war did not just occur in the castle.

Harry tightened his hold on his wand, which made Malfoy raise his eyebrow. “I’m not here to start hexing you, so you needn’t act like I am about to.”

“Well forgive me for being unsure, past experiences with you haven’t been exactly pleasant.” Harry said angrily, practically spitting out the word “pleasant.”

“Alright, if that’s how it’s going to be, I shall leave you to it.” Malfoy turned and started to walk away. Suddenly, Harry didn’t want to be alone and before he could think it  through, he yelled out.

“Oi Malfoy!” Malfoy turned and saw Harry standing there looking horrified, like he didn’t mean to yell out at him.

“Yes, Potter?” He drawled. Harry panicked, why did he call out to that git? Why would he want his company over the hundreds in the Great Hall, where his friends were? Then he realised, Malfoy was part of an old family and he grew up knowing magic, maybe he knew how to fix the wall? He knows that Malfoy was close to Hermione in grades in their classes as well. Then he wouldn’t have to try and speak to Hermione about it before they left Hogwarts.

“You’re smart right? Well I don’t mean  smart, but you know a lot about magic right?” Harry babbled, speaking fast as his face got redder and redder.

“Yes, I suppose I do, why?” He asked hesitantly, thoroughly confused as to why Potter would be asking  _ him _ about magic when he had just defeated the Dark Lord single handedly.

“Have you ever heard about how the castle’s magic works? I tried to repair a small amount of wall, but nothing happened.” Malfoy started smirking as soon as Harry finished what he was saying, and he immediately regretted asking. “You know what, never mind, I’ll go ask someone else.” Harry went to walk past Malfoy in the direction of the Hall but a hand on his arm stopped him.

“It didn’t work because the Headmaster or Headmistress needs to be involved and give special permission for the magic to work. Can’t have just anyone messing with the castle’s structure, now can we?” Malfoy had that stupid smirk o his face again after explaining and Harry just wanted to hex his face off.

“Good to know, now can you let me go?” Harry tried to pull himself away once more but was jerked back as Malfoy tightened his grip on him. He turned around and was about to start giving M alfoy a piece of his mind, but when he saw Malfoy’s expression he stopped. “Malfoy?” He said tentatively. He was looking at Harry, but it was like he was looking straight through him, completely unfocused. “Hey, Malfoy.” Harry tried again and was relieved to find him coming back to himself but also unnerved because he continued to stare at Harry. “What?” The staring was weird, and he wanted to know why he was doing it.

“What are you doing?” Malfoy almost whispered looking strangely vulnerable, despite him being the one asking the question.

“What do you mean? I’m currently being held captive by you so not much right now.” Harry said, rolling his eyes.

“No”, Malfoy huffed, “why are you out here trying to repair a wall instead of being in there with your friends. Why are you acting so  unaffected ? Why aren’t you as destroyed as the rest of us.” Malfoy was whispering again, looking like he was almost begging Harry to answer him.

“I am effected Malfoy.” Harry tried to tug on his arm again but was rewarded once again with a tightened grip. Harry sighed “listen Malfoy, can I just go please?”

“Have you been in there? Seen all the dead people, all the broken people? How is it that so many people lost  everything, and you are here acting like it is okay? Like nothing has happened?”

“ Of course I have seen them!” Harry yelled, “How can I not? How am I supposed to deal with that? Knowing that many people lost their lives and their loved ones because of me? Tell me, what am I supposed to do about that!” Harry was glaring rather impressively at Malfoy, daring him to say something that will give him the excuse to punch him.

“You were supposed to save us. People were always saying you were going to be the one to end it, make it safe for us all again. But that’s not true. The Dark Lord may be dead, but the Death Eaters are still out there, a lot of people have still been lost. A lot of lives are still in danger, a lot of lives are still ruined.” Malfoy was talking calmly, which only served to make Harry  angrier .

“I’m only human Malfoy! I tried to save as many as I could but I’m only one person!” Harry was yelling loudly at this point, not caring if everyone in the castle heard him. “Everyone thinks I am  some kind of hero , some kind of god who is capable of things others are not. I’m not. I’m only me.” His voice trailed off, as if he suddenly had lost the energy to fight. He  realised that whilst he was yelling, Malfoy had let go of his arm. He stepped away and slowly slid down the wall until he was sitting with his legs out in front of him.

“You are capable of things that others are not, you survived the killing curse! You can resist the  imperius curse! You killed the Dark Lord with a disarming spell. You don’t see anyone else doing those things.” Malfoy was gesturing behind him, in the general direction of the Great Hall where many were mourning or holding their loved ones close. 

“Yes, well... I didn’t ask for that.” Harry looked down at his hands, which were picking at the bottom of this shirt in frustration.

“Well obviously”, Malfoy drawled, “if everyone could just ask and receive abilities like that, you wouldn’t be special.”

Harry ’s hands froze. He looked up and saw Malfoy standing there looking rather awkward. Since when did Malfoy think he was special? Certainly not when they were constantly attacking each other for the last 6 years. He grinned  “You think I’m special, do you?”

Malfoy groaned and ran his hand through his already disheveled hair. “All my life everyone has told me you are special Potter, I am merely repeating it” he said, feigning indifference despite the blush on his cheeks that said otherwise.

“If that’s true then why are you blushing?” Malfoy somehow managed to blush harder when he said this, making his entire face a lovely shade of pink.

“I’m not blushing, I am just warm. It’s rather warm in here” Malfoy said, turning away from Harry to hide his face.

“Malfoy there is a god damn hole in the wall, it is not warm in here.” Harry was on the verge of laughing at how ridiculous this situation was right now. Malfoy was standing before him, blushing and blaming it on the warmth like Harry was  an idiot and couldn’t feel the temperature of the  room.

“Well I shall be going; my mother is probably concerned for my wellbeing and I really should go relieve her of her stress. Farewell Potter.” Malfoy  r ushed out his words and  practically ran away from Harry, which was the final straw, and made Harry burst out with laughter. Malfoy could undoubtably hear him as he walked  away , and  it  may have been the reason why his footsteps faded away at an even greater speed.

_ “That was bizarre” _ was all Harry could think as he made his way  back to the Great Hall, prepared to deal with what reality had in store for him.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! This is my first work I've posted here so if you liked it, be sure to let me know.  
For those who are interested, I am currently working on a time travel piece where Harry and Draco go back to their 12 year old selves and it's going to be a long one. Until that gets finished I will probably post smaller pieces like this one. Thanks for reading! :)


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